1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and to a method for orchestrating team sport contests based upon such system. More specifically, this invention relates to a system for leveling the playing field between two mismatched sports teams, in an interactive competition between them, by a series or combination of game rules to reduce the competitive advantage of the better team relative to the inferior team.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The handicapping of individual players of unequal skill, strength or ability is a common practice to make the individuals, who are mismatched in a given competitive contest, more competitive.
Competing Against A Coursexe2x80x94For example, in a golf match, the golf course is rated independent of the skill or strength of the players. In addition, men and women generally have different tees from which to hit their drives, the ladies"" tees being closer to the hole/greens than the mens"" tees. In addition, individual golfers of different skill and ability, will generally have a xe2x80x9chandicapxe2x80x9d for various rated holes within a golf course to equalize each individual player relative to the rated difficulty (par) of the course. Thus, individual players are allowed to have one or more strokes deducted from their score on a given hole on a specific course, depending upon their handicap and the handicap assigned to a given hole. Notwithstanding, the use of such handicapping system to equalize players relative to a golf match, the individuals are playing against the course, rather than against one another. Thus, whatever competition does exist, the individual skill and effort of each player is directed to bettering his own score or performance, as opposed to preventing his opponent from attaining a lower score for the same hole (e.g. no interactive competition).
Interactive Sports Competitionxe2x80x94In contrast to a golf match, the winner in interactive competition is determined by: (a) one competitor scoring more points or goals (e.g., soccer or basketball) than his opponent; and, (b) by limiting the competitor from scoring points or goals. More specifically, the individual or team having the natural or inherent advantage relative to its opponent will generally prevail (win) because it will accumulate more goals or baskets or touchdowns. Thus, the New York Knicks will generally be favored to defeat the NCAA Champion, on any given day, because the skill and talent of the team members, in the aggregate, overwhelm the skill and talent, in the aggregate, of the NCAA Champion. Accordingly, the best that can be hoped for in a mismatch between the Knicks and the NCAA Champion, is that the underdog team will somehow loose by less than expected (the point spread). The point spread is a statistically derived competitive advantage, expressed in terms of a forecast of how many more points or goals the better team shall score over the inferior team.
The point spread affords a wagering opportunity on a sports contest where one team is mismatched relative to another, and the outcome (winner) of the sports event is predictable with a high degree of certainty. Thus, unless an individual fan is also wagering on a sporting event, the spectator interest in such an event is marginal, because the outcome is predicable. Accordingly, even a die hard sports fan has only marginal interest in attending a sporting event to watch his home town team lose, even if the loss is less than expected (the spread). A loss by less than the point spread is no small comfort to the die hard fan that attends these sporting events to root his home team on to victory over the opponent.
When the spectator value for such an event is de minimis, the attendance at venues which host such events, and television revenues for such team competitions, will invariably fall short of expectations, and such sports teams shall fail as viable business opportunities.
Implementation Of Game Rules To Control Player Interactionsxe2x80x94In contact sports contests, efforts at limitation or control of the contact between players have been implemented slowly, and primarily to avoid injury to high priced athletic talent. For example, in football, the quarterback is generally accorded a degree of protection when he attempts to run the football by sliding to avoid contact with an opposing player. Similarly, a football punter and punt receiver are each insulated from an on-rushing tackler because of their vulnerability to injury; it being a penalty to rush into the punter without also blocking the kick, and tackling of the punt receiver who calls for the xe2x80x9cfair catch.xe2x80x9dIn each instance, the rules of the game are modified to protect a player from injury, without otherwise altering the game dynamics. Where an infraction of the rules occurs, the offending team is penalized within the structure of the game. Notwithstanding, the enforcement of such rules, the game dynamics is not otherwise altered. Thus, each team generally adopts a game plan for each of its offensive and defensive squad, and, unless forced by its opponent to alter such plan, will adhere to such plan in the contest against its opponent: Obviously, the game plan or strategy may change, depending upon its opponents success at scoring or defending against the game plan. The game plan is, however, within the exclusive province of each of the opposing teams; and, thus, each team has exclusive control over the players who take the playing field, the position each player is assigned, the adjustments in its game plan to off-set its opponents strategy, and the match-ups of its players against the players of its opponents. Accordingly, the team that has more talent, both on its starting team and on its bench, will generally prevail in a contest with a less well staffed team.
Implementation Of Game Rules To Alter Game Dynamicsxe2x80x94In hockey, referee control over the player interaction, and to enforce rule compliance, is accomplished by assessment of penalties against players for game rule infractions. Unlike football, penalty assessment for hockey rule infractions are calculated to alter the game dynamics. More specifically, the penalized team is generally penalized by the loss of services of the offending player on the ice for anywhere for 3 to 5 minutes, while the opposing team enjoys a man advantage. The mismatch in the number of players can generally result in a score against shorthanded team by the team that suffered the foul. Similarly, if a player is fouled on a breakaway, the fouled player may be accorded a penalty shot on goal. Similarly, in soccer, referee enforcement of the rules and player control is accomplished by xe2x80x9ccardingxe2x80x9d a player for rule infraction, or assessment of a penalty shot. In each of football, hockey and soccer, game rule enforcement is designed primarily to protect players from injury. Accordingly, penalty assessment, in each instance, is not designed to effect the game dynamics, nor to afford an underdog or less competitive team, a level playing field relative to a superior opponent, but rather to preserve referee control over play and to prevent player injury. Assuming the players on each team play within the game rules, the superior team retains its advantage over the inferior team, and the contest result is predictable.
Except in the limited instances set forth above (e.g. assessment of penalties for game rule infractions), there is no comparable mechanism to reduce the effectiveness of a competitor to accord an inferior opponent an improved chance of prevailing in an interactive sports contest wherein each of the teams are mismatched.
A number of systems have been proposed to alter the game dynamics of an interactive sports contest in favor of the less competitive team. The following patent is representative of such a system within the context of the interactive sports of tennis and volleyball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,039 (to Epel, et al., issued Nov. 2, 1999), discloses system and method for handicapping a ball game such as tennis or volleyball between opponents of lesser and greater skills, by varying or moving at least one of the parameters of the court on which the game is played, a sufficient amount to balance the disparity in such skills. The parameters described are the net, and court boundary lines which may be defined by electric luminescent tape embedded in, or fastened to, the surface of the court floor in parallel spaced lines which selectively can be lit to define the desired boundary, or, may be defined by projected lines on or adjacent to the floor from narrow beam or laser beam projectors capable of projecting lines at desired locations either from overhead or at floor level. In the foregoing tennis sport contest environment, the modifications suggested by Epel, et al., only provide some minimal compensation for substantial inequities in skill of the players. The Epel, et al., system and method are apparently focused on ball games such as tennis and volleyball, and presumably, may be applicable to other sports contest with similar playing field constraints.
Notwithstanding, the modifications to physical playing environment proposed by Epel, et al., system and method, historical perspective on the game of tennis has shown the individual effort of a superior player can overcome such xe2x80x9chandicappingxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94the Bobby Riggs victory over Margaret Court being but one glaring example. Thus, the dominant sports personality will generally remain dominant within his new physical environment, no matter the apparent advantage to his competitor, because of the adaptive nature of the competitive spirit to the new physical environment.
Accordingly, there continues to exist a need to provide a credible means for equalizing competitive interactive sporting events within the constraints of the game, without radical departure from the game rules, or the traditional physical environment, in order to increase the competitiveness of the game contest, and thereby provide the sports fan with the more interesting contest.
Objects of the Invention
It is the object of this invention to remedy the above as well as related deficiencies in the prior art.
More specifically, it is the principle object of this invention to provide a method and system for creating a system for identification of mismatches between members of opposing teams.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method and system for creating a system for identification of mismatches among members of competing teams, which system is then used to define a game plan to modify team play, within the traditional structure of the sports contest, and thereby create essential parity between such teams in an interactive sports contest.
Additional objects of this invention include utilizing the system and method of this invention to define a game plan for each team in a contest between them that is based upon mismatches of opposition team members which is calculated to the level the playing field between and thus create a more competitive sports contest.
The above and related objects are achieved by providing a system and method wherein a group of teams within a given sports category are rated based upon well-known and established handicapping systems to establish a favorite or point spread relative to a competitor within the same sports category. In accordance with this invention, the favored team, in a proposed interactive sports contest, is further analyzed to identify, for example, each of the individual players that excel within the team, and the supporting environment in which their superior performance most frequently occurs. Once having identified such factors, the system would suggest one or more alternatives to neutralize such factors, or, alternatively, to off-set the key factors on the favored team with a series of counter-measures from an opposing team. These factors and counter-measures would be incorporated into a game plan that would govern interactive play between the two opponents for at least a portion of the competition between them.
Thus, for example, an individual player may loose his particular advantage for at least a portion of the contest; and, the favored team would be required to modify its game plan to compensate for the loss of the advantage enjoyed by its exceptional player. For example, in the case where a football team""s star receiver was neutralized, the favored team would have to use an alternative receiver, or another series of pass patterns, or resort to its running game to compensate for the loss of such advantage.
Similarly, in a basketball game environment, the dominant player on the favored team could be compromised in terms of his effectiveness, by forcing him out of his preferred zone coverage on defense, or alternatively, denying him (e.g., center) his preferred post position on offense. The loss of his game advantage would thus require him to assume new or additional position responsibility (e.g., a forward or point guard) in the offensive game plan. In each instance, the dominant player or players on the favored team would remain in the game, and play up to their ability in their new position.
The objective of the system and method of this invention could also involve more radical changes to the competitive team structure (e.g., different number of players on each team, limiting the number of plays or minutes a marquee player could play on the favored team, etc.) to create parity among competitors. Because most of these popular interactive, spectator events are contact sports, the selection of equalizing criteria is constrained by the potential for physical injury or abuse, where the number of players on each of the teams is unequal. Notwithstanding, where an unequal number of players is suggested by the system, as a means of creating parity, additional constraints are preferably placed on such extra players to prevent or minimize abuse. For example, if a football team were so over-matched that it needed one or two additional players to create parity, such additional players would preferably only be present on the offensive team where their presence, for example, could increase the chance of completion of a pass, or to provide pass protection for the quarter back in a passing situation. Thus, the opportunity for successful completion of a forward pass would be increased without exposing the opposing (favored) team to potential physical abuse and injury by double teaming a defensive back or safety. Similarly, in the basketball environment, the presence of an additional player would be used sparingly to provide additional offensive scoring. For example, it may be desirable to provide a xe2x80x9cdesignated foul shooterxe2x80x9d for a team with a poor foul shot percentage. This designated foul shooter would not replace a regular player, and, if effective, would minimize the xe2x80x9ccheap foulxe2x80x9d of a player on the underdog team, thereby opening up the lay-up shot possibilities for the underdog team.
In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the system and method of this invention is also applicable to other interactive individual and team sports, and variations on interactive individual and team sports.